Smooshed Mistakes

Hello friends.  So I'm sure you are all aware by now that I LOVE the "smooshed" water color technique, and yes, I do have two more "smooshed" cards to share with you today.  For those of you who have tried this technique, you know that the end result is very unpredictable, and some turn out better than others!  I had two pieces laying on my desk that I thought were mistakes and were headed to the circular file, but at the last minute I decided to save them and see what I could come up with to beautify them.  See what you think:

 
The top one I used distress inks on, and while I liked the color, I didn't like the way the ink flowed on the paper.  After I added the sentiment and flowers from Bitty Bouquets (PTI) stamp set, I rather liked it! :0)

The 2nd card I used Sweet Blush, Hibiscus Burst, & Raspberry Fizz inks, and again it just didn't thrill me...I think it looked too washed out.  But after die cutting the "Joyful Bouquet" (Memory Box) out and adding the sentiment, I thought it looked pretty cheerful!  (even though I think the flowers are daffodils and should be yellow...artistic license you know!!)

So anyway, I guess the moral of todays story is don't throw your "mistakes" away!

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do! :0) 

Make it Monday #208 - Ombre Stamping

Hello friends.  This weeks Make it Monday challenge has Laurie showing us some great tips on ombre stamping.  Here's what I came up with:

I used "Delightful Dahlia Additions" (PTI) stamp set, and instead of inking from the bottom up, I started inking from the center out on the flower.  I used Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, & Sweet Blush inks.  For the leaves I did ink from the bottom up with Simply Chartreuse, Limeade Ice, & Spring Moss inks.  After fussy cutting the flowers and leaves out, I attached them to my card base that I had stamped with "Background Basics: Super Chevron" (PTI) in Simply Chartreuse ink and a Heidi Swapp background stamp in Smokey Slate ink.  I also added the sentiment from the "Delightful Dahlia Additions" stamp set in black ink, and then a little bit of glitter to the centers of the flowers. 

If you'd like to play along with this weeks challenge, you can check out Laurie's video and great card all right here. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do! :0)

Merry Monday #153 - Angels/Cherubs

Hello friends.  Playing along with the challenge at Merry Monday this week, where we are being asked to use an angel or cherub on our Christmas card.  You'd think with the number of angels I have around my house (lots and lots!!), that I'd have lots of angel stamps too, but sadly only 2!  However, I do really like the one in Paper Smooches "A Blessed Christmas" stamp set!  I kept my card very simple and used a few Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass, Peacock Feathers, Dusty Concord, & Spun Sugar) for my background, and then embossed the angel with white embossing powder.  Take a look:

 

 

The sentiment is from WPlus9.  I added a few sequins to finish it off, but I'm second guessing myself now and kinda wishing I had left them off.  But anyway, I really do like how this card came out, and I'm thinking I'm going to make a few more to ramp up my Christmas card stash! :0)

You can find all the information to play along and also check out all the other entries right here.



Thanks so much for stopping by...I love it when you do! :0)

Addy's Easter Card

Hello friends.  Hope you all had a wonderful Easter with your families and friends.  We celebrated twice...my mom's 83rd birthday was actually on Easter, but we got together with just about everybody on Saturday night, and then had a smaller celebration yesterday.  My granddaughter Addy, and my niece's two kids (Parker - 3 and Emery - 1) all kept us quite entertained on Saturday...fun times!! 

Made a shaker card for Addy's first Easter, and used a product Jennifer McGuire recommended by IO, called Shake It - Clear Self-Adhesive Pouches.  This worked out so slick, and they come in all kinds of sizes and shapes.  You can find these on Simon Say Stamp right here.  And here's Addy's card:

I used the "Polka Dot Parade #1" stamp set (PTI) for my background and repeatedly stamped the word "bunny" in Pretty in Pink ink.  I also used PTI's "Polka Dot Basics" to stamp different circles and dots onto the white background before I added the stamped "Chocolate Bunny" (SU!).  The outer blue scalloped circle is a Spellbinders die.  I think Addy liked it, although it went directly to her mouth!  A 7 month old puts EVERYTHING in their mouth!!

 
Thanks so much for stopping by today...I love it when you do! :0)

Sheltering Tree Bunny Scene

Hello friends and Good Friday!  (And it will be an even better Sunday!!)

Just a quick post today to share another Easter card I made for one of my friends at bible study.  I used SU!'s "Sheltering Tree" stamp set and an IO bunny die to create my little woodland scene.  Take a look:

I also used SU!'s "Hardwood" background stamp and Soft Suede ink for the front panel and SU!'s Emosslits Beautiful Wings for the butterflies.  This is what I wish it looked like outside my window right now...well, maybe less the rabbits as they would drive our 2 dogs nuts!  The temps have started to warm up a bit here in West Michigan, but it's still pretty brown outside, and I'm longing for some color!!  I know, I know...be patient and it will come!

Thanks so much for stopping by and I wish each and every one of you a most blessed and happy Easter!!

The Corner Garden...Color Version

Hello friends.  The other day I showed you a black & white card using the "Corner Garden" (SU!) stamp, and today I have another card using the same stamp, but with color.  I actually have 2 cards to show you today, as one of them was kind of a mess up.  Take a look and see if you can figure out what I did wrong (in my eyes!) with one of these cards:

Yes, I am STILL hooked on the "smooshing" technique, and really wanted to use it for my background on this card; using more than 2 colors to make the flowers end up being all different colors.  Can you tell where I ran into a problem though?  I suppose there's nothing wrong with blue flowers, but I really wanted colored flowers and a blue sky...can you see the problem now?   Yep, wasn't thinking that I'd have to add my inks the opposite way to get the blue to come out on the upper right hand side instead of the left!  Hence making a 2nd card as my anal brain couldn't accept the sky not being in the right place! :0)  But anyway, I did make my "mistake" into a card, as I really do like how the colors blended together in that one, and I'll just send it to someone who doesn't think like I do! :0)

Inks:  Blueberry Sky, Raspberry Fizz, Orange Zest, Harvest Gold, & New Leaf (PTI)
Stamps:  Corner Garden(SU!), Butterfly Basics (SU!)

Thanks so much for stopping by...I love it when you do! :0)

Make it Monday #207 and Merry Monday #152

Hello friends.  I'm combining 2 challenges today and playing along with this weeks Make it Monday (with Laura Bassen who is so talented and also just cracks me up!!) and also Kristie who is hosting this weeks Merry Monday.  Laura is showing us how to do a "double partial die cut" (I tried Laura, I really did!!) and Kristie is asking us to come up with a Christmas card using the colors lime, turquoise, & white, and here is what I came up with:

  
My partial die cutting did not work so well, so please don't look too close!  I'm wondering if I would have had better luck if I had used a die sh ape with a flatter bottom rather than a circle, but you know how you get an idea in your head and don't want to try anything else?  Yup, that was this card!  Anyway, I patched it together a bit, and I do like how it looks.  I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean, & Tumbled Glass) for my background sky, and it looks much more turquoise-y in real life.  I used PTI's "O'Tannenbaum" stamp set with Limeade Ice ink for my 3 trees, and then fussy cut them out.  The "peace" is from "Wonderful Words: Holiday Die Collection" and the "on earth" is from "Think Big Favorites #21" (both PTI).  I finished with some silver Stickles on the trees and a bit of black & white bakers twine. 

You can check out Laura's video and card right here and Kristie's Merry Monday challenge right here.

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!  (It's going to be sunny and 63 today....woohoo, I think Spring is actually here!!!)